File



' Jan. 25,1927. 1,615,427

R. N. WALKER FILE Filed June 25. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 25 1927' R. N. WALKER FI LE Filed June 25, 19.23

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 25, 1927.

UNITED STATES ROBERT N. WALKER, OF WINSTON-SALEM, NORTH CAROLINA.

FILE.

Applicationfiled June 25, 1923; Seria1 No. 647,617.

My present invention has relation to new and useful improvements in files of that type adapted to form a unit of a plurality of such devices for insertion into and re- 5 moval from a receptacle, each of the units comprising a plurality of containers adapted to receive a record sheet, and the principal object consists in constructing the containers in a novel manner so as to receive and securely hold the record sheets, the record sheets being easily insertable in and removed from the containers, and when folded the containers of the units will lie flat and in compact form.

Another object consists in providing a front and a back plate or card for each unit, the back plate or card having a tab for designating marks and the front plate or card having a finger or thumb opening to aid in separating or extending the containers of the units.

A further object of the invention resides in connecting the several containers of a unit in such a manner that the containers when in folded or raised position may be separated from one another to a greater or less extent, in which the individual containers may be swung vertically, one independently of the other, and in which the, containers may he slid vertically in either direction- WVith the above and other objects in view my invention consists in the novel details of construction and arrangement of parts described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in 'which':

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of one ofthe units with its containers in closed position.-

' Fig. 2 is an end view ofxthe unit shown in Fig. 2 is a fra-gmental detail showing an end view'and more particularly bringin out the manner of connecting the attac ing strip to'the front plate and containers.

tended position.

Fig. 4 is a fragmental detail showing a front view of one of the upper-corners of a container. 5 r

' Fig. 5'is' a fragmental detail" showing a rear view of one of the upper corners of a container- Fig. 6 is a perspective of oneof the Fig. 3 is a front elevation of one of the; units with its containers in' vertically exunits or files which is adapted to form one of a plurality of such devices adapted to be placed in a receptacle such as a drawer of a filing cabinet. Each of these units comprises a front plate 1, a back plate 2 and a lurality of intermediate containers 3, the

ront plate 1, the back plate 2,-and thecontainers 3, being connected at their lower edges by means of a strip of flexible material 4, such as paper or fabric, folded as more clearly shown in Fig. 9, said material being secured to the rear faces and lower edges of the plates and containers by an adhesive and adapted to form a bellows-like construction so that the front plate and containers may i be moved or extended vertically as shown in Fig. 3 may be swung into horizontal or inclined positions as shown in Fig. 6, or may be separated from one another while in their normally vertical position to increase the space therebetween. The back plate 2 is provided on its upper edge with a tab or prorjection 5' which may receive any desired designating marks: A pocket 6 is formed on the front face of the back plate 2' and is adapted to receive extra record sheets, for the containers, to be later-described. :An opening 7 is formed in the front" late 1 and is of such a size to receive the fies of the thumb so that when aunit is grasped in the tended vertically by drawing downwardly on'the front plate by the thumb and pushing hands the-containers ,thereof. may be 'ex-' qupwardly on the back plate withv the fingers.

The frontand back'plates 1 and 2 are preferably of heavy paperor thin card board.

Each ofthe containers 3 isformed of a blank -of heavy paper orthin card board and is cut to form the body. portion 8,

the" extensions 9 "on each end thereof and the" extension 10"0n the upper edge. Just the body 8 adjacent each of'the extensions tion 21.

9. This opening 12 forms a wide opening to more easily receive the record sheet. A circular opening 13 is formed at the point indicated, said opening extending partly into the body portion Sand partly into the extension 10. In forming the containers the lower edge of the body portion 8 is folded upwardly over the front face of the body to form a flange or tongue 14:, this flange or tongue extending throughout the length of the container as is more clearly shown in Fig, 6 of the drawings. The extensions 9 are adapted to be folded on the lines 15 to extend in back of the body portion 8 and partly close the crescent-shaped openings 12. The extension 10 is adapted to be folded on the line 16 to extend downwardly in back of the body portion 8.and to cover that portion of the crescent opening 12 not closed or covered by the extensions 9. By reference to Figs. l,- 5 and 6 of the drawings the manner of folding will be clearly understood and the extensions 9 and 10 will be secured to the body by an adhesive. Of course, it will beunderstood that the edges of the body forming the crescent-shaped openings 12 will be left free for the insertion of the upper corners of the record sheets 17, the upper corners of these sheets passing beneath the edges of the crescent-shaped openings as more clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The lower edge of the record sheet carried by each container will be received in the pocket formed by the upwardly extending flange 14. When the extension 10 is folded downwardly the circular opening 13 will form the semi-circular notch 18 in the upper edge of the container as more clearly illustrated in Fig. 6 of the drawings. By reference to Fig. 7 of the drawings it will be seen that the upper ends of the projections 9 are cut on an angleas shown at 19 and the ends of the projections 10 are cut so as to form the straight portion 20 and the angular or inclined por- As will be seen by reference to Figs; 4, 5 and 6', when the extensions 9 and 10 are folded the extensions 9 will fit into the cut ends of the extension 10. The flange 14 overlying the front face of the body of the container is of the same thickness as the turned projections 9 and 10 so that when the containers are folded into their normal or vertical positions they will lie fiat against one another as is more clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The strip of flexible material 4 which is used for connecting a plurality of the containers is, as has been previously stated, folded or formed as shown more particularly in Fig. 9 of the drawings so as to provide a plurality of longitudinally spaced pockets a to receive the lower edges of the containers 3, said containers being secured to the strip at the points I) and 6 thereby leaving the free points (Z and 6 so that the containers may be slid vertically with respect to one another in either direction, the space therebetween may be increased when desired, and may be swung into horizontal position. I wish to lay particular stress upon the formation of the connecting strip which allows the movements of the containers with respect to one another as described.

From the above detail description it is thought that the construction of my file as well as the many advantages thereof will he clearly understood. I have provided a file in the form of a unit consisting of a plurality of containers which are so connected with a front and back plate that they may be extended vertically or swung into an inclined or horizontal position, each of the containers being constructed in a novel manner to receive and securely hold a record sheet. When the different units are placed in a receptacle such as the drawer of a filing cabinet the containers will normally lie flat together between the front .and back plate as is more particularly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. Suitable designating marks will be placed upon the tabs 5 of the different units and when one dcsires to make reference to some particular record sheet he takes from the receptacle that unit containing the record sheets of that particular group. The unit will be taken in the hand and the flesh of the thumb pressed through the opening 7 of the front plate 1 and the tips of the fingers will bear against the back plate 2.- By drawing down the thumb the front plate 1 will be lowered and by pressing the fingers upwardly the back plate 2 will be raised thus extending the containers vertically as illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings. When in this vertically extended position the data, such as names, at the top of the record sheets may be easily read and when the person finds that record sheet to which he desires to refer he swings those containers that are in front of said record sheet, downwardly into a horizontal position and he can then read all of the data upon the face of the record sheet. After the-desired data has been obtained from the record sheet the containers are again swung into their upward or vertlcal positions and then slid vertically to ,their original position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and then placed back in the cabinet. When desired the containers may he slid vertically with respect to one. another, 'in

lower edge of the record sheet and a pocket adjacent each upper corner to receive the upper corners of the record sheet. All of the pockets are formed by folding the blank form of which the container is made in a novel manner and each container will be of uniform thickness so that when in their raised or folded positions they will lie flat against one another and thereby take up comparatively small space. The lower flange 14 extending over the'front face of the body of the container and the upper pockets being formed by folding the material over the back face of the container when the containers are in their raised or folded positions they will nest close together, as has been previously described, the upper turned portions being of the same thickness as the lower turned edge. The notches 11 in the ends of the containers and the notch 18 in the upper edge thereof allow for the easy insertion or removal of the record sheets from the containers, it being understood that the thumb and fingers may be inserted in the notches to position or remove the said record sheets. The construction of the connecting strip 4 also allows the containers to be spaced from one another when in raised or closed position, such spacing sometimes being necessary when a plurality of record sheets are placed in one or more of the containers.

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A file comprising a front plate having an opening therein, a back plate, a plurality of containers received between the front and back plates, and means connecting the plates and containers for sliding and swinging movement one with respect to the other.

V 2. A file comprising a front plate having an opening. therein, a back plate, a plurality of con ainers received between the front plate and back plate, a tab formed on the upper edge of the back plate and extend I ing above the upper edges of the front plate and containers, and means connecting the plates and containers for sliding and swinging movement one with respect to the other.

3. A file comprising a plurality of connected containersyeach of the containers being.

formed of a blank of material provided with openings to receive the upper corners of a record sheet, the upper edge of the blank being formed to extend behind the openings in the blank and the lower edge of the blank being folded to form a pocket to receive the lower edge of the record sheet.

4. A file comprising a plurality of connected containers, each of the containers being formed from a blank of material having open ngs therein to receive the upper corners of a record sheet, the upper edge of the blank and portions of-the ends thereof being folded to extend in back of the blank and overlie the openings therein, and the lower edge of the blank being folded upwardly over its front face to provide a pocket, extending the length of the container, for receiving the lower edge of the record sheet.

5. A container for record sheets made from a blank of material having openings therein to receive the upper corners of the record sheet, the upper edge of the blank and portions of the ends thereof being folded to overlie the openings, and the lower edge of the blank being folded to form a pocket for the reception of the lower edge of the record sheet.

6. A container for record sheets made from a blank of material having openings to receive the upper corners of a record sheet and notches in its edges to facilitate the in sertion and removal of the record sheet and the lower edge of the blank being folded to provide a pocket for the lower edge of the record sheet.

7. A container for record sheets made.

ill)

from a blank of material having openings to receive the upper corners of the record sheet, the upper edge of the blank and portions of the ends thereof being folded to overlie the rear face of the blank and the openings therein, and the lower edge of the blank being folded to overlie the front face of the blank and to form a pocket for the lower edge of the record sheet.

8. A file comprising a plurality of con' tainers connected at their lower edges by a flexible strip, said strip being formed with a plurality of pockets to receive the lower edges of the containers, and the containers being connected to one wall of the pockets, the parts of the strip between the containers being free to allow vertical movement of the containers in either direction, swinging movement of the containers, one with respect to the other, and longitudinal separation thereof.

9. A file comprising aplurality of containers connected for movement one relative to the other, each of the containers being formed of a blank having its lower longitu dinal edge folded to overlie one face of the blank to form a pocket to receive the lower edge of a record sheet and its upper longitudinal edge folded to over-lie the opposite face of the blank, the folding of said edges of the blank'allowing the containers to lie parallel in compact form.

10. A file comprising a plurality of conloo tain'ers connected for movement one relative to the other, each of the containers being formed of a blank of material provided with openings to receive the upper corners of a record sheet, the upper longitudinal edge of the blank being folded to over-lie one face of the blank and the openings therein and the lower edge of the blank being folded to over-lie the opposite face of the blank to form a pocket to receive the lower edge of 10 the record sheet, the folding of the longitudinal edges of the blank allowing the containers to lie parallel in compact form.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afliX my signature.

ROBERT N. WALKER. 

